The present invention relates to novel 1-lower alkyl derivatives of 3-aryloxy-4-(2-carbalkoxy)-phenylazet-2-ones which are active as plant growth regulators.
The commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 225,886 of Francis J. Freenor III discloses compounds of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.1 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkylthio of 1 to 6 carbon atoms or NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 12 carbon atoms; and X.sup.1, X.sup.2, X.sup.3 and X.sup.4 are independently hydrogen, chloro, bromo, fluoro, iodo, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, which are active as plant growth regulators.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,800 discloses a large group of anti-microbial 2-azetidinone compounds of the general formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 is amino, substituted amino, substituted hydroxy, azido or halogen; R.sup.2 is hydrogen, hydroxymethyl, aralkoxyaminomethyl, aryl, aralkenyl, formyl, carboxy, or a residue of a nucleophile; and R.sup.3 is a group of the formula: ##STR4## wherein R.sup.4 is aryl, aralkyl, arylthioalkyl or a heterocyclic group; R.sup.5 is carboxy or its derivative; R.sup.6 is alkyl, haloalkyl, arylthio or heterocyclic-thioalkyl; and R.sup.7 is hydrogen, haloalkyl or heterocyclic-thioalkyl; (subject to various provisos). The compounds are disclosed as useful antibiotics for treating microbial infections in mammals.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,234 discloses a large class of anti-microbial 4-unsubstituted azetidinone compounds which have the general formula: ##STR5## wherein R.sub.1 is amino or acylamino; and A is hydrogen or the group: ##STR6## wherein R.sup.x is hydrogen; R.sup.y is, in pertinent part, hydrogen or alkyl of up to 6 carbon atoms; and R.sup.2 is, in pertinent part, carboxy, hydroxy, amino, cyano, or alkyl of up to 6 carbon atoms substituted by carboxy or a salt thereof. These compounds are disclosed as useful as antibiotics to treat microbial infections in mammals.